


there are cracks in the road we laid, but where the temple fell the secrets have gone mad

by staubfingers



Category: Ready or Not (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animal Sacrifice, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Masturbation, Sexting, Texting, a few dead goats, some smut, the le domases are still crazy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:40:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22149571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staubfingers/pseuds/staubfingers
Summary: Grace plays a few rounds of Jenga with her in-laws on her wedding night.In the end she runs anyway.
Relationships: Alex Le Domas/Grace Le Domas, Daniel Le Domas/Grace Le Domas
Comments: 23
Kudos: 378





	there are cracks in the road we laid, but where the temple fell the secrets have gone mad

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something _short_ and that didn't really work out. Don't know what happened, cause I've nearly forgotten about the movie, but then I saw gifsets and a read a few fics.... I blame it on Adam Brody's face and _that_ hide & seek song.  
> And I'm really sorry, English is not my mother tongue and this language is kinda weird sometimes, so this will be full of mistakes. I'm sorry, I've really done my best. If you want to beta it I will be grateful forever!  
> The title is from the song _Psychosocial_ by Slipknot  
> So, thanks if you still gonna read it, I loved writing this.

Grace sits at a round table with her in-laws to play a game. A few hours after her wedding. Certainly not how she imagined this night to end.

Alex smiles at her encouragingly and she draws a card.

“So, we are really gonna play _Jenga_?” she asks slowly, half expecting everyone to start laughing and revealing this “family tradition” to be a joke. No one is laughing.

Aunt Helene grits her teeth, “It seems so.”

“ _I love_ _Jenga!”_ Alex kisses her and smiles like a child on Christmas Day.

Becky gets up slowly, supposedly to fetch the game, Daniel is following her and comes back with a bottle of Whiskey. “You want some?” he asks no one in particular and gulps down a large part of it.

So, this is her new family, huh.

-

Being married is great, and being married to Alex is even better. Every evening when they get home from work they cook together and Alex talks about his day, his thoughts, his ideas. Before, he just told her about the important stuff, was more of a listener, but now it seems like he's determined to share his whole life with her. She loves this new side of him. They even go on dates, which they didn't do since they moved in together, and Alex has a new spectacular idea every other week.

They are happier than ever, and Alex even calls his parents now and then. Maybe seeing them again showed him how much he loves and misses them and that let him forget about whatever made him stop talking to them in the first place. All in all, he seems to be unburdened of a weight he didn't know he was carrying.

-

The next morning at breakfast the family comes together once more. They seem to be hungover even though Grace didn't saw them drink a lot last night, but Alex' carefree happiness makes her dismiss this and the uneasiness she felt ever since they arrived the day before.

Daniel is the last one to stumble in, and when he rather falls than sits down next to his wife he laughs quietly. “What a night.”

“Well, some of us slept and took a shower.” Charity looks disgusted and Grace silently prays her marriage will never be like this.

“Yeah, sleeping was the thing we _all_ wanted to do last night.”

“Do you have to be like this in front of the kids?” Emilie whines.

“Oh please, _this_ is too much for your children? Seeing their dear old uncle a little bit drunk. What was it again _you_ took last night?”

“Enough!” Tony says in a voice that doesn't allow any objection, and Emilie and Alex both look guilty, which makes Grace wonder what kind of father Tony Le Domas was to them during their childhood.

Only Daniel doesn't seem to care, just huffs, gets a flakes from somewhere and pours brown liquid into his coffee. Suddenly he looks up and stares at Grace with such intensity that she involuntary flinches. “I'm really glad you drew the _Jenga_ card.”

His tone makes her uneasy and she tries to smile it away. “You and Alex are really found of this game, aren't you.”

“Yeah,” Daniel says and goes back to drinking his coffee.

-

They talked about buying a house ever since he proposed. “Money isn't an issue,” Alex said whenever she just mentioned a budged. It felt wrong to buy something with stranger's money, but now she at least met his parents, and Alex talks to them again, and he's right when he says they are _family_ now _._ She still doesn't want 20 bathrooms and a swimming pool, but a nice house with a garden has always been her dream, so they start to search for _their_ home.

She still feels bad when she sees all those zeros, but Alex reassures her that his money is now her money as well, and buying a nice, little home is hardly lavish.

Every house they look at tends to be nearer at his family's home and Grace tries to swallow the bad feelings down, because it's great Alex wants to be closer to his estranged family. Having a family is one of the most important things after all - no one knows this better than someone who never had one. Still, a voice inside her head screams to get an ocean between her and these weird people.

-

For his birthday Grace gets Alex a _XXL Jenga_ and invites his brother. She thought about it a long time, but she saw how much the brothers love each other, and she knows that Alex misses Daniel even though he sometimes seems to resent him. Besides, his family is now her family, so she is going to get to know them and forget about her weird feelings towards them.

Daniel is confused when she calls him, and even more so when she invites him to Alex' surprise birthday party, but he promises to come. “You can bring your wife, of course,” Grace says just as they were about to hang up.

“Of course,” Daniel says and shows up alone. Grace can't say that she misses Charity.

-

A few month after they got married they find and buy the perfect house, and it's just a three hours drive to Alex' childhood home. It's far away enough that they won't get any surprise visits, but so close that Alex can spend more time with his parents if he wants to. It's a compromise of sorts, because even if she never said so, Alex seems to know his wife isn't too found of his family.

After they made the house a home his parents come to visit. They just stay an hour, congratulate them and praise what they did with house, and it nearly feels normal. Tony's _patriarch-vibes_ are kind of intimidating, but Becky is warm-hearted and really seems to be happy for her son. When they are gone Grace feels like it wouldn't be too bad if she saw her in-laws more often.

-

The party is great. A small group of friends gathered to celebrate Alex' birthday and their just brought house. Everyone is having fun, even though the evening started sort of awkward when Alex got all pale while opening Grace's present for him.

“I thought you love this game.” She felt stupid, he always gets her the best presents and she bought a game for children because she thought it would remind him of their wedding.

“No, it's great. I'm sorry, it's really great.” He kissed her, but still looked tensed and Grace decided to get ride of the game as soon everybody left.

Thank god, he was happy about his second present. When Daniel entered the flat, Alex smiled and embraced his brother only to introduce him to everyone who wasn't present at their wedding.

Surprisingly, Daniel doesn't get trashed like the last time she saw him. He is kind of drunk, but not more so than everybody else, so he fits in perfectly. Grace smiles and listens to Alex gushing about the house when Daniel suddenly stands next to her.

“Thanks for inventing me.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“No, really, after your wedding I wouldn't have invited me.”

Grace doesn't know what to say so she just shrugs. Daniel was the only family member that didn't give her the chills, but she doesn't want to say this.

“So, you really got Alex a _XXL Jenga._ ” He looks like he wants to ask something, but doesn't say anything else.

Grace blushes, “It was a stupid idea, I just thought it was something that connected me and us to his family, but... whatever, he didn't like it.”

Daniel smiles sadly.

“If you and Charity want it...” she mutters and Daniel starts to laugh. “Sure, she loves playing family games. That's the reason she married me: to have excess to all the games before they're officially available.”

“I thought so,” Grace says and grins, “She didn't wanna come?” She is curious even though she thinks she know the answer.

“It's enough to see her when I'm home, so I don't take her with me when I get out of town. Plus, she wouldn't have come, anyway. It's not because of you, of course, it's more about people in general and having too much work to do.”

Not for the first time Grace wonders why someone would want to live in that kind of marriage.

-

They live in the new house for two month when they go to some kind of annual family tradition. Alex is really vague about it and Grace half expects a child-games-contest the Le Domases participates in with a weird determination. When they arrive everybody is already there, even Emilie, Fitch and their children, and they share a not too awkward dinner. After, they go up to the same room they slept in on their last stay, to get fresh and changed. The _tradition_ is again supposed to start at midnight.

“So, was is this about your family and their obscure traditions at midnight?” Grace half jokes, while Alex stands in front of the mirror, fixing his hair.

He takes a deep breath and his shoulders sink in like he's about to do something he really doesn't want to. He was awfully quiet all day and ignored most of her questions, just muttering about it being a surprise. “It's about Mr. Le Bail.” Alex still stares into the mirror, but he last his hands sink.

“This wild story about your grandpa's imaginary-friend?” She nearly forgot about the stupid tale his family told her the night of their wedding.

“Don't call him that!” Alex turns around suddenly and his eyes spark with anger.

Grace jerks back, startled. 

“God, I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have... I know it's weird, but he's really important to my family, and to respect, and honour him was always a big part of our tradition.”

A grown-ass man is telling her to respect a random guy from a weird story someone once told someone. If Alex' conviction wouldn't send an involuntary shiver down her spine, she would have joked about religion and him saying he's an atheist. “This means you really believe you owe this Le Bail guy something?”

“It's...” Alex growls frustrated and starts to pace up and down the room “I know what it's sounds like, but the company, the money, the influence - we got that thanks to Mr. Le Bail. He gave us all that, so we owe him what our great-grandfather promised him. We can't risk not being in his favour, any more. Even... even if the story isn't true where is the harm in honouring him?”

It sounds... not entirely crazy. Playing games and thanking this Le Bail guy for being crazy rich, could be worse. “Okay, so what are we going to do, tonight? Do we all draw a card and play the chosen game?” She tries to sound indifferent and even smiles slightly.

“ _Wegonnasacrificeagoat._ ” It's nearly inaudible and Grace hopes that she misheard.

“What?!”

“We gonna sacrifice a goat,” Alex says, this time slower, and finally stops pacing.

“You're joking, right?”

-

_youre not gonna win again loser_

It's already after midnight and Grace gets a picture of a _Jenga_ tower that is wondrously still standing, even though it misses half its blocks.

_Wow you really got Charity to play._

_no but my ol friend Johnny_

Grace rolls her eyes and smiles unintentionally. When the party was over, and Alex laid passed out on their couch, she wanted to throw the game out in order to not being hit with a new wave of embarrassment when she had to look at it in the morning.However, she could not find it, and when she finale gave up she received a text in which Daniel thanked her for “the cool new game”.

She still doesn't know why Daniel took it, maybe he is weirdly found of the game and the memory of them playing it together like Grace is. Well, this was the same hope she had about Alex, so she didn't ask, just sent a _You're welcome_ and decided to forget about it.

Until tonight. Oddly enough, it's a nice feeling to know Daniel is playing this game and wanting to share that with her. _You still don't stand a chance._

Daniel had been the first one to loose the game, which wasn't a surprise considering his intake of alcohol, but even the other family members, who seemed so excited to play a game in the first place, didn't try hard. Grace won without any effort.

_well see_

_-_

They really had done it. They had sacrificed a fucking goat. They slashed its throat and...

Grace is running. She's running like she never ran before. She is outside on the grounds, and then there is a tree and she is grabbing it hard while she throws up.

Even the boys had been there. They hadn't been allowed to play the game on her wedding day, but when they killed a goat Emilie didn't even bat an eye about having her children there. They are all _crazy_.

“We are eating meat, so killing an animal is not really that different,” Alex had tried to reassure her when she said she couldn't do it, couldn't even watch someone else do it. And he was so understanding, and talked to her until she agreed to participate. In the end she thought he was right, she eats meat so wouldn't it be hypocritical to refuse to watch someone kill an animal?

But eating meat and watching Tony slaughter a goat are definitely two different things. It _screamed_.

“You're crazy.” She had muttered inaudibly, and then Helene had held a goblet under the goat, collected some of the blood and... drank it. “You're crazy” Grace's voice had been loud this time, but no one seemed to hear her. They all drank from the goblet, even Charity, even the boys. Alex had tried to take her hand, but she slapped it away.

She looks at her own puke in the grass. It's red. She is vomiting again.

“I won't do that.” Grace had said when Alex wanted to pass her the goblet.

“Grace...” He had sounded so pleading.

“You can't be serious.” She had laughed hysterical, not able to believe what was happening.

“Every member of this family _must_ honour Mr Le Bail.” Aunt Helene had sounded angry, and for a moment Grace had been sure Helene would have rather killed her than the goat.

“You're crazy.” She had muttered again, and had looked helplessly at Daniel, but he wouldn't meet her eyes.

“Please, Grace, please.”

She wheezes, shaking, tries to keep the last remains of the dinner in her stomach at least. Everything hurts.

“Didn't think you'd go through with it.” It's Daniel who's staggering up to her. She's glad it isn't Alex. She is furious Alex isn't here to explain it to her.

“The fuck.” It's the only thing she gets out, she still feels like she can't breath.

“Yeah,” Daniel agrees and pats her shoulder. She lets him.

He holds a bottle up, “Drink. It helps.” She wonders whether he's generally speaking and takes sip. She coughs a few times and drinks some more.

“Please tell me this was a prank.”

“Wish it was.” Daniel takes the bottle. He already seems drunk, even though he wasn't when they entered that godforsaken room. “He didn't tell you?”

“He did an hour ago. Left out the blood-drinking-part.”

“Thought so. Hard to explain.”

“Why are you doing it?”

“Mr Le Bail-”

“Bullshit,” she is angry, “you really want to tell me you are drinking blood, 'cause your grandpa told you a story about a random dude helping you getting crazy rich.” Daniel protest when she snatches the bottle from him and drinks half of what is left. Her mind starts to get foggy, but she doesn't feel as sick any more.

“There are worse things than drinking goat-blood,” Daniel finally says and empties the bottle.

In the end Grace pukes again. This time it's probably due to the Scotch.

-

Being a Le Domas really has its perks. She gets into every restaurant she wants to, her new job is great, and she probably didn't just get it thanks to her excellent academic career, she doesn't has to worry about paying her bills, and her bath tube is big enough to lie down in completely.

She starts to enjoy it, and is scared more than ever that someday she'll be ungrateful for everything she has now. But Alex is a humble and sane person even though he grew up like this, so she'll manage.

Everything still feels perfect.

Nearly every day she gets a text from Daniel and hasn't told Alex about it. In the beginning it didn't seem important and telling him now, after she talked to his brother for weeks, would seem like she is hiding something. Which she really isn't.

She likes him, his texts are funny, and he isn't the unbearable, drunk brother-in-law she thought him do be when she first met him. One day he tells him that.

_I am its my charm_

-

“I want to get home, now,” she slurs when she gets back into the house. Alex sits alone in entry hall, like he waited for his brother to bring his wife home. He probably did.

“Everyone is already asleep. We can't just go without saying goodbye.” He looks sad and tired.

“I want to go NOW,” she sounds more hysteric than she feels like, but it gets the job done.

“Tell everyone...” Alex says helplessly to Daniel who nods, “Will do.”

“I'll get our stuff.” He goes up the stairs and ten minutes later they're sitting inside their car.

“Grace-”

“Don't talk to me.” He shuts up and doesn't try it again for the rest of the three hour drive. She falls asleep at one point and when she wakes up she gets her phone out and types: _Now I know why your a drunk_

She wants to hurt him like his stupid family hurt her. She wants him to know she understands.

He replies a few seconds later. _yeah_

-

Rich people apparently host dinner parties. Alex never had done it before, but now that they are married, own a house and have respectable jobs it seems to be the right thing to do. They don't invite friends, because friends would know that the home-made meal you serve them was clearly not made in _your_ home, so they host a dinner party for colleagues and acquaintances to _network._

Grace misses doing shots, sipping crappy beer and falling asleep on strangers' couches. Not that she partied all through college, she just wishes she did.

And even though she has a job on her own, an a rather successful one, thank you very much, she feels like a Stepford Wife when the men leave the room to go to the study – god, they have a study – and the wives are left too...

“You won't believe what Sharon did the other day.” Apparently, they're left to gossip. And even though every single one of them has a job on her own there is no business talk. So, no networking for her. Well, she's glad, but being dismissed like a child while the “grown ups” talk makes her angry, and for a moment she thinks about following the men into the study. Alex would smile and invite her in, but he wouldn't want her there. Sure, he wouldn't show it or even say so, but he was always rather keen to follow social norms.

In the end she goes into the kitchen. None of the other women ask her where she is going. They don't really care for her, Grace is different, not born rich like them, and on evenings like these it shows. The cook seems confused when she enters the room and sits down at the counter.

“Everything alright, Mrs. Le Domas?”

“What? Yes, sure. Horrible dull affair these dinner parties. Do you mind if I smoke in here?”

“It's your home,” he shrugs and opens a window.

“Sure, it is,” she mutters under her breath, while she fetches a cigarette and her phone.

_Fucking rich people._

She still got half a cigarette left when he answers, _true but fuck yourself I think I remember you marrying some rich guy the other day_

_We're hosting a dinner party. Men left the women to gossip, I hate my life._

_now you even sound like a rich person marvellous beware or one day youll truly be one_

She laughs and the cook looks even more confused. “Cat video,” she explains and he goes back to packing his stuff up, probably so she can't ask him whether he wants to watch it with her.

_Won't happen, still have my conscience._

_take care of it youll lose it sooner than you think_

This sounds unfamiliar serious. She swallows. _Still got yours?_

_really not sure_

-

She googles “sacrifice”, “sacrificing goats”, “drinking blood”, “le bail” and all she gets are mentions of satanic cults and old rituals, but nothing that explains what happened nor why the Le Domases act like it's a totally normal thing to do.

She wants to asks Alex what else he knows, wants any little detail that can help her being less scared, but she is relatively sure that he doesn't know much more than he already told her, and even if he did he wouldn't share it. Besides, she still doesn't really talk to him. She didn't do anything dramatic like sleeping in the guest-room, but she only talks about profanities with him, and works more long hours than strictly necessary. He is understanding, says he loves her, that he'll be always there, and that he's giving her all the time she needs. It makes it hard to be angry, but she still gets sick every time she looks at him.

_you alright?_

_Swell_

_angry with me?_

She thinks about it. _No, you're just another crazy rich person drinking goat blood. At least you didn't trick me into this mess._

_Im glad_

_Why?_

_like talking to you_

_You could talk about why your family does this shit. Google didn't help at all._

She is starring anxiously onto the screen until she gets a reply a few minutes later, _its just a weird little thing my family does once a year. you wouldnt believe what rich people are doing secretly they just pay everyone not to talk about it_

Grace thinks about the money, the house. She feels sick again. _So you wanna tell me it's normal? Rich people just do crazy stuff? What did Charity and Fitch do when they found out?_

Again a few minutes of silence, then, _you know charity she didnt care and fitch never seems to care about anything_

Maybe he's right and it isn't as bad as she thinks it is. Sure, it was disgusting and thinking that some eternal being cares about whether they drink the blood or not is downright crazy, but isn't every religion like this? Isn't industrial livestock farming worse than killing one goat once a year?

But then she remembers Daniel being just as sick as her after they drank that fucking blood while the rest of the family seemed indifferent.

_Does it get better?_

She knows the answer.

-

Grace always wanted to have a family. People she could come back to, people who loved her no matter what. The Le Domases aren't that kind of people, but Alex is and that is enough. And they talk about kids, starting a family of their own. Her child would have a better life than Grace did. It sounds so cliché, but her child would have a mother and a father who'd always love them. She wants to be a mother more than anything, not right now, but she's certain she will be some day.

-

Grace nearly forgets about the whole ordeal. Of course she didn't, but she gets better at pretending she doesn't care. They are still happy, but something is broken. Maybe it's that she saw this cruel side of him, or simply that he lied to her, but whatever it was, she had to realize that not everything about her husband is sunshine and rainbows, and she hates it. Of course, she's not stupid, she's well aware no one is flawless, but Alex always pretended to be, and hiding this fucking _tradition_ feels like a betrayal. She wants everything to be as perfect as it was _before,_ so she tries to forget, but some nights she lies awake, _knowing_ there is something even worse that the family is hiding.

And then she reads about it by chance when she tries to find out how Tony and Becky met.

Aunt Helene was married.

Well, it could be nothing, she _hopes_ it's nothing and she can't think of a better way to be certain than to ask Alex.

“What happened to Helene's husband?” she sounds casual. They are sitting in the kitchen, eating breakfast and Alex gets dangerously pale. “Whom?”

“Her husband. I found a short article. She got married when you were a kid. Couldn't find anything else about him.”

“Yes, he... I don't really know. He just disappeared, broke Helene's heart. We don't talk about it.” He gulps down his coffee, looks at his wristwatch and mutters something about being late while he's already leaving the kitchen.

Alex has never been a good liar, for once she wishes he was. The bad feeling that never quite left her after they came back from the _annual family ritual_ is back with full force. She gets out her phone.

“Since when are we calling each other?” he says bemused.

“What happened to Helene's husband?”

Daniel mutters something inaudible, that sounds dangerously like a swearword. “Why are you asking me this?”

She decides to be honest. “I asked Alex, he lied, said he didn't know anything. So what did happen?”

“Why should I tell you more than Alex did?”

Yes, why should he? Because she trusts him more than he trusts Alex? “Because this whole thing makes you just as sick.”

“There is... Listen, you're not my wife, I didn't bring you into this family, it's not my responsibility to tell you what happened before you've been a part of it.”

It sounds cold and it hurts, even though she knows he's right.

“Something is wrong with this family and I don't know if I... god, what am I supposed to do?”

“You could always run.”

“What?”

“I mean it. Leave Alex, get as far away as possible and forget about all of this.”

“You want me to leave Alex?”

“No, but I want you to know, that this is an option. You're right, this family is not normal, and if it makes you sick than go.”

She thinks about it for a few seconds, listens to Daniel's breathing. “Why don't you go, then?”

“It's different.”

“Why?”

“I was born into it, its... it's not that easy.”

“Yeah, it's not that easy.”

“I know, but... Talk to Alex, or don't, just...” he sighs and doesn't say anything else.

-

 _I feel so alone. Talk to me?_ Alex is sleeping next to her, snoring quietly and peacefully while she lies awake. She hates their new home. She always was able to make friends anywhere she got, but now she hates everyone she met in this stupid town and misses her old friends. Of course she calls them, but they hardly see each other and she can't tell them about what has happened, at least she doesn't want to.

_what should I tell you?_

_Why you're still awake?_ He is always awake, no matter when she texts him.

_cant really sleep_

She figured that much, Quietly she gets up and puts on a bathrobe and socks and goes into the living room. _Does alcohol help?_ She opens a bottle of red wine and drinks straight from it.

 _sure_ , then after a few seconds, _but not any more probably had too much the last couple of years_

It should be sad, and it is in a way, but she understands it. _I'm having a nice bottle of wine right now._ She even sends the fitting emoji.

_why are you lonely?_

_Don't know, got no one to talk to._ Besides you. But she doesn't say it. It seems too much.

_alex?_

She thinks about it. _It's complicated._

_yeah it always is_

She drinks some more and waits, but she doesn't get another text. She gulps down the whole bottle and blames the alcohol for her sentiment when she types, _Wish you could come over right now._ She thinks about deleting it and sends it anyway.

_what would you do if I was there?_

It could be innocent enough, but she feels the heat rising in her cheeks and a slight tingle in her stomach. _What would you want me do to?_ She doesn't want to be the first one crossing the line they are dancing on for weeks now. She gets another bottle of wine.

_I want to touch you_

She nearly moans. It's pathetic. She remembers she hadn't had sex with Alex for two weeks and tries to blame it on that. She drinks some more. _Where would you touch me_

_everywhere_

_I want you naked._ She always thought Daniel was attractive, sure, but not like that, she never thought about him this way. Who's she lying to? Yes, she did, but in a strict fantasy-only way, like you do when you find someone attractive, and like them, and ask yourself what it would be like to have sex with them. _Do you sometimes think about us having sex?_

_all the time_

She tries to imagine him, sitting naked with his cook in his hand. _Are you jerking off?_

_yes_

This time she really moans. She hesitates for one moment, then she gets her bottoms down and touches her clit. She is already wet.

 _I want your fingers on me, in me._ She starts to rub slowly. _So bad_

She imagines Daniel gripping his cock harder and jerking it, tries to imagine the sounds he would make, the look on his face.

_Id do anything you want me to. Anything_

She pictures Daniels fingers in her, fucking her with them, while his tongue licks her clit. He is flustered and naked and his cook is oh so hard.

_Show me your dick_

A few seconds later she gets a picture. His dick his hard and kinda long, his hand grips it as tight as she thought it would. She wants to take his cook into her mouth, wants to be full with _him_ and then suck him and swallow him down. _Next time I see you Ill blow you_

She imagines it: they meet and act so indifferent just for her to drag him into the next empty room when no one's watching, and going down onto her knees in front of him.

_Ill fuck you the next time we meet_

She feels it, his cook inside of her, his body pressed against hers, desperately kissing, while he thrusts into her again and again. And she's coming. She tries to moan as quietly as possible and loses the grip on her phone. She takes a few breath, picks it up again and look awkwardly at Daniel's penis.

 _I just came._ Informing him seems the right thing to do.

_yeah me too_

God it really is awkward. She wishes she'd knew what she is supposed to say after sexting with her brother-in-law.

_I think I can go to sleep now._

_yeah me too._ And than, _that was good_

_Yeah._

_Oh fuck,_ she thinks to herself and goes back to bed.

-

“I'm definitely not coming with you, Alex,” she is angry that he even dares to ask.

“Please, Grace, you don't understand. It's really important,” he is downright pleading. It's pathetic.

“Are you really... You made me drink blood, for fucks sake! But feel free to go. Kill the poor thing, drink its blood, thank some made-up guy for making you rich, I don't care.”

“I told you-”

“Yeah, sure, sorry, we're not _allowed_ to be mean to poor _Mr. Le Bail._ ” Her tone is mocking and he gets angry. She has never seen him like that, not even the night one year ago when she dared you _insult_ the Le Bail guy the first time.

“Why don't you get it. Something _bad_ is going to happen if we don't participate. You're part of the family, it's your duty!”

“Oh, fuck you, Alex! My _duty_! How old are you? Seven? Still believing what mummy and daddy are telling you? Grow up! You weren't part of this for _years,_ and _now_ we are all going to _die,_ if I'm not there.”

“I was,” he goes all quiet suddenly.

“What do you mean, you-”

“I didn't talk to them, but I was there every year to... like I said, we Le Domases have to do it.”

“You... you are kidding me, right? You told me, you didn't see your family for years, let alone _talked_ to them!”

“What was I supposed to do? Like you would have listened! You wouldn't have got it!”

“Wouldn't.... of course I wouldn't have _got it_! I still don't! You lied to me, to... You tricked me!”

“Trick you? Ha!” he laughs and shakes his head, like she's a stupid, little child, “I wanted to _protect_ you and what we had, and now you want to _destroy_ it, like our marriage means _nothing_ to you!”

She shakes her head, baffled. She didn't marry this asshole, did she? “You are crazy. All of you! I'm not setting a foot into this house ever again!”

-

Daniel doesn't text her for three days straight. She doesn't remember the last time this happened, normally she gets a short text at least once a day with some snarky remark about his work or people he met. Sometimes he just tells her random little things and for the last couple of month he started to asks her about her life. _what are you doing right now,_ or _ever had ice-cream on a pizza,_ or _first film you watched in a cinema ever._ She misses it, misses _him_ , at the same time she doesn't know how to initiate a conversation, though.

On the fourth day she finally gets a text. _its awkward now huh_

Well, at least he feels the same way. _Yes._ She types the next words ten times and deletes them again, before she presses send. _I think I should feel guilty, but I don't._

He doesn't seem to be lost for words, considering she gets his next text only a few seconds later. _its not like we did anything. isnot like you are not allowed to think about someone else while masturbating_

It sounds like something he told himself over and over again. And maybe he's right, but _thinking_ about someone while you masturbate or _talking_ to them while you do it are two different things, at least in her mind.

_We shouldn't do it again._

_thinking about eachother while jerking off? too late_

Of fuck. She remembers what his cock looked like, pictures him touching it while he thinks about fucking her. The pleasant tingle inside her stomach is back.

 _sorry shouldnt have said that,_ he says when she doesn't answer for a few minutes, to occupied with _not_ touching herself, because she _can't_ stop thinking about what his orgasm-face would look like.

_No, its alright._

-

In the end, she goes with Alex to the _ritual._ He apologized and pleaded, and promised her that it wouldn't be as bad as the first time. She doesn't believe one word, but feels guilty anyway, so she goes. Maybe she just wants to see Daniel again, and at the same time she doesn't, so it's probably not that. She _loves_ Alex and this is important to him, so she consented to drinking goat blood once again for him.

Meeting the Le Domases is as strange as ever, but they all seem to be content with what is going to happen. Georgie is as tall as his father now, and proudly tells everyone about his first girlfriend. Finch is beaming and Emilie seems to be sad, presumably because her “baby is all grown up”, and Grace hopes he'll never marry the poor thing, or anyone for that matter.

Daniel won't meet her eye, they just stiffly shook hands and said “hi” like they don't talk to each other on a daily basis. She is somehow glad he isn't as cool about the whole masturbating thing as he said he was.

While they eat she observes him and considers asking Helene about her husband, but decides against it. She doesn't like to admit it, but she is scared of Alex' aunt, and asking something like this will probably bring Helene's wrath upon her, so she keeps her mouth shut.

The ritual is as horrible as last year's and goat blood still tastes like shit. After, she runs once again to the edge of the forest, not because she has to puke, but because she hopes Daniel will find her there.

She is right. No five minutes pass before he sits next to her with a bottle of the drink of the evening in his hand. “Here, tastes better like the last thing you had.”

“Not too hard.” She drinks more than she should and tries to tell herself it's not due to the fact that he's so close to her.

They share the bottle a few minutes in silence and she considers laying her hand onto his thigh, but doesn't dare to.

“It's nice here, outside I mean. Suppose, it was great to grow up and have your own _forest,_ ” she says, starting to feel tipsy.

“Yeah, my dad wasn't really a fan of _playing outside,_ or having fun in general, for that matter. And I spend most of my youth in boarding schools, so,” his tone is indifferent, but his eyes are sad somehow.

“I'm sorry.” She doesn't know what else to say and hopes he understands it's not about the school thing.

“Don't be, it's not like I had a bad childhood, just...”

“... the occasional goat sacrificing now and then.”

“Yeah, that,” he laugh and it sounds honest, “Fuck, this is a shit show, isn't it.”

“It is,” she raises the bottle mockingly in agreement.

“Didn't think you'd show up.”

“Me neither. Alex was really persuading and I felt bad for... Well, he talked about duty and obligation and I'm his wife, so...”

Daniel looks like he wants to say something, but thinks better of it, instead he clears his throat and nearly empties the bottle. God, wasn't it nearly full when he sat down just ten minutes ago?

“I like being drunk with you.”

He laughs and shakes his head, “I'm a bad influence.”

“Yes, you are,” she empties the bottle, but she certainty isn't drunk, rather _drunkish,_ “I came, so I could see you.”

“I'm glad you're here.”

Their eyes meet and it's horrible romantic.

“What are we doing here?” She hates to be like that, but she is not _that kind of woman,_ is she?

“Just talking, like we always do.”

“By now, I tell you more than I tell Alex.”

“Ha, I've told you more than I told Charity, ever!”

“I don't get it, why are you two still married?”

He seems disappointed, “You really want to talk about Charity?”

No. “Yes. I mean, you're clearly not happy, so why don't you leave her?” Why don't you leave this whole mess behind, like you wanted me to?

“It's really not that easy.”

“That's all you ever say 'it's not that easy', you and Alex, both.”

“Well, he's right for once,” he sighs, picks up the empty bottle and throws it away in disappointment, “It's not about being happy. We were, in the beginning, and now... it seems pointless to change anything. Not like we're spending that much time together, so why leave or divorce her? She doesn't care what I'm doing, I don't care what she does,” he shrugs.

“She doesn't care you're... cheating?”

“Who says I'm cheating?”

She raises an eyebrow.

“So, telling someone you want to fuck them is cheating to you?”

“Well, it's definitely not being faithful.” Suddenly, she's angry. All day he acted like it _meant_ something and now he's sitting there pretending that nothing has happened.

“You're probably right. I feel like I shouldn't do it to Alex, if it makes any sense.”

“Yes, it does,” she says more calmly. She wants to feel guilty because of Alex, but she just doesn't want to be _the cheating one._ When she's completely honest with herself she _wants_ Alex to know, wants him to be hurt.

Daniel's hand suddenly touches her face, lies lightly upon her cheek while his thump caresses her bottom lip, “I want to fuck you so bad.”

Her breathing is too loud, even for her own ears. Her hand finds his chest, it feels like he's doing a lot of exercise. Maybe he does, they've never talked about it. She straddles his lap, his hands are immediately on her ass, their foreheads meet. They've never been that close. She shifts a little and can feel his hard cock between her legs. “Yes,” she agrees unnecessarily and starts to open his fly.

“Grace?” She never hated to hear Alex' voice that much. “Grace, where are you? Is everything alright?”

She sits down besides Daniel again and hears him muttering some creative curses while he closes his fly again.

“I'm here,” it sounds half-hearted, “I'm still right here.”

-

_you don't deserve this family_

For one moment she's hurt, but then remembers all the shit she has seen. _Is this one of your weird compliments?_

_yep_

_Still glad I can be part of it._ Because otherwise I wouldn't have met you. She doesn't have to say it for him to understand.

-

Emilie turns 30 and it seems to hit her really hard, considering she writes about “fading life” and “appreciating what you got” in her invention letter. “Dramatic as ever,” Alex says after reading it and Graces thinks she and Emilie could have been great friends if it wasn't for the whole fucked-up-ness of the situation. Then she does the math.

“Wait, isn't Georgie a teenager?”

“She was always dramatic, like I said. Married Fitch when she was seventeen, Georgie was already a year old then.”

“How fortunate she's rich,” Grace mutters and Alex laughs.

Emilie's party really isn't what Grace thought it would be. She expected a dinner party or a virgin-sacrafice, instead it's regular _party_ and Grace does three shots in the first ten minutes.

Apparently Emilie didn't invite her whole family, thank goodness, and seems to be genuinely happy when Alex and Grace arrive. Well, she actually was the one who drank the first shot with Grace, all the while grinning like a maniac. It's a weird but pleasant affair and Grace doesn't remember the last time she felt that carefree and happy. Seeing Georgie huddled together with a girl his age in a corner of the living room, drink in his hand, is a little concerning, but it's not like they have any kind of relationship, so she forgets about it.

Grace is talking to a women, who is nice enough, considering she came with her personal _chauffeur,_ when Daniel shows up. He's absurdly handsome and holds Charity's hand. They seem to be _happy_ and Grace hates herself for being jealous.

Alex spots them and hugs his brother and they talk a few minutes before leaving the room to probably get more drinks.

She tries to ignore Daniel, because she is not sure what she is supposed to do after _what has happened,_ but it's no fifteen minutes later when she's standing alone at the edge of a group of dancing people when another hand holds her own. For one moment she's afraid it's Alex who wants to go home, but it's his brother and she unintentionally begins to smile.

“Wished you'd come to greet me.”

“Wanted to, but you seemed to be occupied with your wife.” She realizes how pathetic it sounds.

Of course he laughs, “Well, I didn't want to make you jealous.”

She refuses to answer, asshole looked right through her.

“Come on, I want to show you something.”

Daniel holds her hand firmly while he guides her through the long corridors. The house is nearly as big as Tony's and Becky's one and Grace isn't surprised at all.

They enter something that seems to be a study and Daniel locks the door.

“Really, you wanted to show me your dick?” she says mockingly, but can't deny the excitement she's feeling.

He grins and just kisses her. It's good to finally do so and they both seem to be desperate, because by all means it isn't a _perfect_ kiss. And the best one she's ever had.

“Still wanna do this?” he asks, breathing fast.

“Yes.” She starts to unbutton his shirt, desperate to finally see him naked.

He helps and begins to kiss her neck. His chest looks even better than she imagined it. She touches one of his already hard nipples, takes it between her fingers and pinches it. He moans and she wants to hear it forever.

He drags her closer, cupping her ass with his hands, and presses his middle against hers. He's hard and she feels the wetness pooling between her legs. Without warning he shoves her panties down and immediately presses two fingers against her clit. “Any special reason you put on a dress?” His voice is rough and low and she moans against his lips.

“I hoped you would do this,” she confesses, his fingers start to draw slow circles between her folds, “I thought about you all day, hoped you still wanted to fuck me as soon as you saw me.” One finger enters her, slowly, then he starts to move it in and out fast. She bites down in the juncture between his shoulder and neck and he moans again. “Fuck. I want you so bad," she mutters.

“Wanted you the first time I saw you.”

“It's not a competition.” He laughs and gets a condom from somewhere. She fumbles until she gets his jeans and briefs down and he puts it on.

“Was just a fantasy, but when we started texting and then I got to know you...” He shoves her carefully until her thighs hit a desk. She sits down on it, spreads her legs. She takes his cock in her hand and jerks it slowly, it feels good, and next time she'll definitely blow him.

“You really acted like an asshole, thought you were hot, though,” she admits and laughs. It shifts into a moan when his dick finally enters her. “We should have done this like months ago." It's probably hard to understand, since he started to move and she has trouble catching her breath.

He fucks her hard and fast and moans directly into her ear. She clutches his back, desperately, and it's not long before he comes with a shout. He kisses her and she's disappointed for one moment, before he falls down onto his knees and starts do eat her out.

At first his tongue goes where his dick was only seconds ago, then his fingers replace it and he licks and sucks her clit. He clearly knows what he's doing and is humming like he's rather enjoying himself.

Her legs start to tremble, she doesn't even know how many fingers he pushed into her, it just feels full and _great._ She wishes this would never stop, but a few minutes later she comes, hard.

“Definitely should have done this sooner,” he says, and kisses her again.

-

_You ever wanted kids?_

_no not really_

_And Charity?_

_yeah she did. But I didn't work, so..._ Grace tries to imagine Charity with a baby. Then she sees herself with one.

_what about you?_

_Always wanted to, I'm not so sure any more._ “I'm not sure I want Alex to be the farther,” is what she really wanted to say. 

-

“So, you're fucking my husband.”

Grace nearly chokes on her drink and looks at Charity with wide eyes, “I'm not-”

“Sure, you are. He's got his stupid sex-face on. You too, by the way.”

She doesn't know what she's supposed to say now. Deny it? Beg for forgiveness? Ask Charity why she knows her _sex-face?_

“Ah, don't worry, I don't care. Not really, any way. Well, it's weird, sure, and clearly pathetic, somewhat incestuous, but at least he knows how to fuck, doesn't he?”

Grace chokes again and Charity smiles while going away again. Well, she is right about the last thing.

-

_If you could go anywhere, where would you go?_

Normally, he asks these kind of questions, but it's something she thinks about all the time lately.

_dunno maybe switzerland_

_Why?_

_like the alps I think and chocolate_

She laughs and tries to picture Daniel hiking.

_where would you go?_

_Everywhere._ And after a few minutes she adds: _Switzerland._

-

After Emilie's birthday party they meet again. She had told Alex something about visiting friends, he didn't really care, just kissed her and said he hopes she has fun. She certainly does.

They meet in a hotel and fuck as soon as they close the door. It's so cliché that she nearly laughs after Daniel made her come the second time. She doesn't like to compare normally, but sex with Alex was never that got. The thought is satisfying.

Daniel's cock feels as good in her mouth as she thought it would, and she wants to blow him every morning when she wakes up from now on. The thought scares her.

They go to a nice restaurant for dinner and it feels dangerously like a date. Daniel smiles the whole time, and they talk, and she has never seen him that happy before.

She didn't feel that happy in a long time herself.

-

“Who are you talking to?” Alex asks one day when Daniel sends a funny remark about teenagers not covering their ankles when it's ridiculously cold outside.

“Huh?”

“You're always on your phone, lately. And you smile a lot. I'm just curious.”

“Just an old friend. She's funny.” She doesn't even feel bad for lying.

“Glad you're still in contact with them. I just don't find the time.”

She smiles and they share some good old stories about their friend from _before._ Before what? Before everything went to shit? Before Alex stopped being her best-friend and she started to mistrust him?

They laugh a lot and it's a _nice_ evening. In the end she switches her phone password to fingerprint-id.

-

She talks to some women from work who tells her everything about her own wedding in great detail, when it hits her: her wedding-night. Playing a game was some sort of ritual for the family. Maybe she was asking the wrong questions.

-

It's Saturday-evening and she's at home, drinking a bottle of wine all by herself.

 _You really are bad influence._ She informs Daniel.

_told you so_

-

She considers asking Alex about their wedding night, but she's sure he won't answer, at least not truthfully. She thinks about asking Daniel, too, but is scared he could lie to her, so she doesn't do that either. She is going to find out by herself.

Daniel notices something is wrong when her texts get shorter by the day, but he doesn't question it, perhaps not wanting to be lied to either.

And so the weeks go by, and she's happy to visit her in-laws the first time ever. Charity kisses Grace enthusiastic on both cheeks when they arrive and Grace gets involuntarily red. Daniel and her are still as cold as ever when anyone else is around and no one seems to realise something has changed, not even Alex.

After the ritual Grace doesn't go out into the forest. Daniel will probably wait there – they didn't talk about it, it feels like a silent agreement – but she's got something to do.

She says she'll go for a walk and waits around, hidden, until everyone left for their rooms. One of the maids gets the dead goat a few minutes later, throw it into a wheelbarrow and pushes it out of the room. Grace follows her quietly. The maid, not expecting someone to trail behind, is oblivious and whistles a song Grace never heard before.

She goes out of the house and pushes the wheelbarrow into the barn where the other goats are. A few minutes later she comes back with neither wheelbarrow nor goat.

After the maid disappeared, to her quarters, presumably, Grace goes back to her own room, says goodnight to Alex and waits until he's asleep.

-

Fact 1: The Le Domases believe their ancestor made a deal with a supernatural being, who wants them to sacrifice goats every year.

Fact 2: This being wants every new family-member to play a game on their wedding-day.

Fact 3: There is no sign Helene's husband outlived his wedding.

Fact 4: They are lying to me.

-

Alex falls asleep nearly immediately. She gets up as quietly as possible, puts on her shoes and leaves the room. Her breathing is too fast, she hears her heartbeat and her hands are trembling. She could still go back to bed, forget about the goats. Certainly she won't find anything unusual, besides a dead goat in a barn, of course. But she didn't spend countless nights asking herself what Alex hides from her to chicken out now.

Fortunately, she doesn't meet anyone and a few minutes later she stands in front of the barn. _Gates to hell_ never felt more fitting.

“What are you doing here?”

She nearly screams when Daniel touches her shoulder. “Fuck, what are _you_ doing here.”

“Thought you'd show up.”

“What is inside this barn, Daniel?” she tries to sound calm, but her voice is shaking.

He takes a deep breath, “You saw the maid bring the dead goat inside,” it's not a question.

“What is inside the barn?” She is angry, terrified, Daniel's hand still lies upon her shoulder.

“Please, Grace, go back to bed.”

She wants to cry, instead she starts to speak louder, “Tell me what's in there or I'm going to look for myself, you can't stop me.”

“I won't,” he takes her face between his hands, his eyes are pleading, “but _please,_ believe me when I tell you that you don't want to know what's in there. I promise you, it got nothing to do with you and you're safe.”

“What is inside the barn”, her bottom lip is trembling.

“Grace-”

“What happened to Helene's husband?”

“Please-”

“What was this _game_ on my wedding day all about?”

“Don't do it, just go back to-”

“Oh, fuck you!” she pushes him away, “you told me to run when we first met. You told me to run and you did it again and again, why?”

“You're not in danger, I promise you, you just don't deserve this. Things happened in this family... I would give everything to forget them.”

She is shaking, feels a tear run down her face. Fuck, she hoped she was wrong, that she'd find an ordinary explanation for everything. She opens the door and steps into the barn.

-

They are lying on the couch in a another hotel in another city. They are watching some stupid film, but she laughs nonetheless, probably due to the fact they shared a bottle of wine for dinner. Daniel has his arms slung around her and places small kisses on her neck, now and then.

It feels a lot like being in love.

-

She can hardly see while she runs through the corridors back to her room. Her eyes are clouded with tears, her heartbeat is thumping inside her ears. She wants to scream. Daniel is right behind her, but he doesn't try to stop her. She enters the room loudly enough that Alex immediately sits up startled.

“What-?”

“I found him! Them!” she screams hysterically, she _is_ hysteric.

“Daniel, what happened?” Alex looks back and forth between his screaming wife and unusual quiet brother.

“What happened? I found Helene's husband, that's what happened!” It was just a skeleton between a bunch of dead goats, some not as decomposed as others, but she didn't doubt it was _him_. Then she saw the second human skull. “Who was the other one, huh? Some poor guy who found out that you're batshit crazy, the whole rotten lot of you!”

“Grace, please, calm down,” Alex gets up, slowly, defensively holding his hands up.

“Calm down? Are you shitting me? What happened to-”

“It was an ac-”

“Fuck you! You are telling me right now what happened, or he will do it.” She turns around and points at Daniel, who looks like he's in pain.

“Okay,” Alex says and comes a few careful steps into her direction, “okay, I'll tell you everything I know, but please, let me finish.”

She doesn't say anything, lets out a few shaky breaths and waits for him to star.

His voice is calm, slow, she hates him for it, “I told you about Mr. Le Bail. We have to sacrifice something once a year, in order to still being in his favour. And when someone joins the family we have to play a game. And sometimes,” he swallows, “sometimes we have to sacrifice this new family member. Helene's husband drew this card, we _had_ to kill him. You need to understand it, Grace, it was him, or all of us.” He makes it sound like this is normal, like he didn't just confessed his family murdered his uncle.

“Oh my god,” to hear this, to finally have certainty about what was _supposed_ to happen on her wedding night, is worse than she thought it could be “you would have killed me.”

“What is going on?” Tony enters the room looking angry, “Can't you two sort out your problems like every sane person does? At home and not in the middle of the night while other people try to sleep!” Becky and Helene are right behind him, Grace never despised them that much.

“I knew you wouldn't draw that card. I knew!” Alex pleads, and tries to touch her. She swats his hand away.

“Of course she acts like a maniac, now,” Helene mutters.

Grace turns around, “Fuck you, you old bitch! You killed your husband and dropped him into a well! What kind of psycho does this!”

Helene's eyes spark with hate and Grace remembers the night of the first ritual and thinking that Helene wanted to see her dead. She was probably right. “I did what I had to do to protect this family! You-”

Grace ignores her and turn back to Alex, “You asked me to marry you, even though you knew it could _kill_ me! You didn't even care!”

“Of course I did, I _knew_ you wouldn't draw that card! Why don't you get it? Please, Grace, just calm down and then lets talk about this”

“You- You're such an asshole! You would have killed me! You would all have killed without betting an eye!”

“Grace,” Daniel mumbles.

“Why did you never tell me?” Looking at Daniel hurts even more than looking at Alex.

“I tried.” He looks sad. God, she hates them all.

“I'm leaving!” She's grabbing her bag that she placed upon the desk by the door early.

“You can't-” Tony starts and tries to stand in her way.

“Please,” Becky says and pulls her husband back. Surprisingly he complies.

Grace runs without looking back. No one tries to stop her.

-

After the night of the first ritual, and realizing something was clearly wrong, she had started to hide money from Alex. It not like she was scared of being poor if they'd ever separated, she just had felt like she needed to have cash available if she ever had to run. Alex had never regulated her spendings, never asked questions and she knew he was a good guy, but some little voice inside her head had told her she might be in need of an escape plan someday.

 _its always good to know were to go to if you have to leave suddenly,_ Daniel texts one day out of the blue.

_I know, I've got it._

_Good_

-

She gets the money and her papers, which she stored in a small but secure storage room just outside town, throws away her phone and drives as fast and far as she can. She spends a few days in nice enough motels, drinks and cries and drinks, then she decides she pitied herself enough, drives until she finds a big town that she likes and rents a flat.

After sorting the basic stuff like having furniture, finding a new job, and not only thinking about how much she hates the Le Domases, she files for divorce.

Of course Alex gets her new number, being crazy rich has it perks, but she hangs up immediately and blocks him. He doesn't try again, just writes a long letter she burns without reading. Her lawyer says Alex ignored her filing for divorce, but she doesn't care that much. He is like a stubborn child wanting what he can't have, he'll accept he won't get her back at some point.

She is doing better somehow, not really having friends, but people she can go out with whenever she is lonely and she doesn't need to drink herself to sleep regularly any more. Needless to say she asks herself what would have happened if she drew another card, but she isn't sure whether she really wants to know it.

Thinking about it still hurts like crazy and she just doesn't understand _why._ They didn't have to get married and Alex was the one proposing. Did he want to get rid of her subconsciously? She considers asking him, doesn't want to hearh is voice, though, and is sure he won't be honest any way, so she tries to forget. Doesn't work.

_Saying sorry isnt enough, I know, but I want you to know that I am. I shouldve tried harder to make you run, tell you the truth_

At first, she wants to ignore it, block his number like she did with Alex. Three days later she answers after being on her second bottle of wine, _Wouldn't have believed you._

She gets his text only seconds later, _you asked again and again should have told you anyway_

Part of her wants to reassure him that he did everything he could, helped her, and that is what counts in the end. Instead she ignores him for a few days.

_Did you tell Charity about the game?_

_yes she didnt care wanted the money. being poor was worse than dying she said_

_And Fitch?_

_think so but he was practically a teenager and they already had georgie. dont think he cared either_

_Your mom?_

_never dared to ask her_

-

The guy could be Daniel, at least if you don't look too closely and had a couple of shots. He's nice enough and buys her more drinks, and they dance, and it's fun. She suggests going somewhere more private.

When they're inside his bedroom and start to underdress each other she considers running, instead she blows him. She doesn't come and goes home after he shot his load.

While masturbating under the shower she thinks about Daniel.

-

She wants to forget him like she wants to forget everything that has to do with this stupid family, naturally she isn't able to.

He doesn't text her again first, but sometimes she can't help herself and asks some pointless shit just to talk to him again. He always answers immediately.

More than anything, she wishes to see him again. Every time she wants to tell him so, she asks herself whether he'd have killed her. She sits crying on her kitchen floor when she finally texts, _Would you have gone through with it?_

_I asks myself everyday. I dont know. after I saw you again of course not but that night... I wish I wouldve saved you_

_You're the only one who might have done it._

_alex would have_

They both know it's a lie.

-

 _Still got this_ Jenga _game?_

_sure_

She laughs, _Why?_

_reminds me of you_

_Sap,_ and then, _Gonna play it with me some day?_

_sure but beware I got real good_

_-_

He calls her one afternoon, “I'm sorry, I know you probably don't want to hear my voice, but it's important.”

“What happened?” she is immediately alarmed.

“I'm afraid they want you to participate.”

He doesn't have to say what they want her to participate at, it's just two week until it's time for the _ritual_ again. “But why?”

“Well, they think something bad's gonna happen if you're not part of it,” he clears his throat, “they won't take no for an answer.”

“So, what am I supposed to do?”

“You could... if you believe in this story you should-”

“Oh please. Don't tell me you do?”

“Nah, not really,” it sounds sincere, “Well, I thought something like this would happen and I... I have some fake papers for you. You should go Asia, Europe, whatever, just don't be here when this all goes down.”

“You... woah,” she doesn't know what to say.

“Yeah, I know, it's creepy and I'm sorry, but I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was necessary. They were... Helene was furious, my father too. Mum tried to talk them out of it, but I don't think it worked. They won't _ask_ you to come with them, they'll... you can't...”

“I can't refuse, if they just take me. And when I'm dead it doesn't matter.” Her voice sounds surprisingly calm even to her own ears.

“I'm sorry, Grace.”

“Yes, no, thank you for calling me. I didn't even consider it.”

“Well, just shows you're still sane.”

“Not so sure about that,” she laugh and when he talks again she hears the smile in his voice.

“I could come and bring the papers or put them somewhere, so you don't have to see me, I'd understand. I'll do whatever you want.”

She considers it. “I have to call work first... I'll text you later.”

“Sure.”

-

One of the people she might call a friend invites her to his wedding. She wants to go, but fakes a flu last minute and stays at home. She drinks herself to sleep and nearly texts Daniel that she misses him.

-

“So, where are you going?”

“Don't really know, suppose I just go to the airport and take which-ever plane goes to another continent next.” It's weird to see him again. He looks just like one year ago, but seems to be different all the same. He probably thinks that about her, too. God, she just wants to put her arms around him.

“Sounds nice.”

“Yes.” She takes a few deep breath. She thought about what she would do when she saw him again and still isn't sure whether she made up her mind. “What are you going to do now?”

“Dunno. Go to the family reunion, will be fun to see them all out of their minds.”

“You could,” she takes some more breaths, “you could come with me. I suppose you got some fake papers yourself?”

He smiles like a great burden was took from him. “I'd love to do that.”

-

Sometimes when she's sad she googles Switzerland and looks at all the beautiful pictures. It hurts like hell, but it's nice to dream about a life she could have had.

_Wish I'd met you first. You would never have married me. It would have been good._

She doesn't send it.

-

They don't go to Switzerland. They rent a car and drive through half of Europe and find a nice hotel in Bulgaria. Driving through all these different countries is nice, even though, or maybe because, they don't talk much. The first night they get black out drunk and sleep in different beds, just to hit the road again the next afternoon. They pass the time until the night of the ritual with sight-seeing and don't sleeping twice in the same town.

From day to day they talk about more unimportant shit and when the night of the ritual comes they are nearly back to _normal_ again. They go to a fancy restaurant and joke about the Le Domases screaming at each other, because none of them was able to find Daniel nor Grace.

Daniel's imitation of Helene is rather impressive and he nearly cries tears after Grace performed “Emilie cracking up again”.

Back at their hotel they get drunk again. At some point she pukes, brushes her teeth and goes back into the bedroom. Daniel lies on the bed, smiling, and she straddles his hips, and looks down on him while saying, “You think we're gonna die in a few hours?” She doesn't believe it, but the thought is still concerning.

“Don't know, and don't really care, I feel good right now. That's all that matters.”

“Yes,” she says and finally kisses him.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't remember whether they had to drink the blood and Emilie is probably older than thirty, however, I wanted it to be _dramatic_.


End file.
